Chapter One

"Every person has the power to change their fate if they're brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything~"

Athena's pov

The floor was slate grey and the walls dove. The ceiling of that polystyrene square block with led lights at some specific distances.

The lights were so bright, they were almost blinding my vision.

I walked down the hospital's silent passage which usually was filled with the sounds of vital sign monitors beeping, heat ventilating chambers, footsteps running while pushing a stretcher, people sobbing and praying for their loved ones,etc.

It was about 11:56 at night, just 4 minutes more for my 23rd birthday. My shift was finished, I visited my last patient, a pretty 6 year old girl who had last stage blood cancer.

She was lying on her bed with tons of pipes attached to her body through different openings. The electronic heart rate tracker beeps besides the cabinet, counting her last breaths maybe.

Not caring about these difficulties she was going through, the only thing which she cared about was her little shabby stuffed toy, sewed and gifted by her late granny, which she slept with every night and had a magical tiny smile plastered on her sleeping face.

Every night before leaving the hospital I make sure that I visit her and witness the purity and positivity her tiny smile holds.

I can't even miss a night without doing so, 'cause I don't know if tomorrow she'll wake up or not.

I covered her properly in her duvet, and gave a small peck on her forehead before turning around and leaving the ward.

As I was about to close the door of the ward an old lady showed up and tried to get in.

"Excuse me ma'am, the visiting hours are over. Would you please visit the patient tomorrow morning?" I said, trying to be as polite as possible.

"Wait- you can see me?" She said, astonished.

"Huh? What are you saying granny, ofco-"

"Athenaaaa!! Have you gone crazy or what, instead of leaving the hospital already you're chatting with yourself??" My friend and colleague, Clara yelled from a distance.

"Yahh!! I'm not talking to myself, I was talking with this gra-"

I turned around to face the old lady with whom I was talking earlier but there were no traces of her. Just the sounds of crickets buzzing outside and footsteps of Clara approaching me were heard.

"What are you doing?" She said, patting my shoulders softly.

"Sh- uhh.. nevermind. I'll be leaving now." I said, turning away from her.

"Okay! Take care." She said waving at me.

I smiled at her before leaving the hospital.

I just walked a few steps past the hospital when I felt a burning sensation in my thumb, under the ring.

Crap! What's up with this iron ring now? Did it catch on rust or something?

The burning sensation was getting out of hand now, so I had to remove it. Without wasting a second I twisted the ring out of my thumb and plopped it in my pocket.

To my surprise I wasn't feeling any type of burn in my thumb the second later I removed the ring.

Weirddddd, was that ring cursed or what.

I scoffed and continued walking home.

After a few more steps I lifted my left wrist up to check the time.

"12:03 already? Shitt! I must take the short way or else aunt will sue me for sure"

I took a left and it felt like a sudden cold breeze blew through me. The alley was dark, just some flickering old street lights were responsible for keeping the alley illuminated at this hour.

I was thinking about the incident from before.

It seems way too real to just be my hallucination.

I was in my thoughts when....

**Beep beep**

I took out my phone.

*A notification from Clara*

I tapped on the notification bar.

*Happy birthday my partner in crime<3 love you tons.*

"Aww she remembered" I mumbled to myself.

Before I could text her back....all the lights suddenly went off.

My phone got dead.

"I remember charging my phone before leaving the hospital. How could this be?"

Now there was no source of light. Everything was pitch black. My surrounding went silent, just a crow cawing was heard

Before I could process a thing further, my head started spinning. It felt like I was about to lose my consciousness. Just when I was about to fall, suddenly out of nowhere icy fingers gripped my arms. Preventing me from falling.

I was too weak to rebel against that power.

Those icy hands dragged me somewhere.

After a while of dragging I heard a creaky metallic gate open.

My phone miraculously got turned on and that icy powers were now gone.

Without wasting a second I turned on my flashlight to examine my surroundings.

The gate was almost double my height, all rusty and wide. It seemed like it came out from a typical horror movie set.

It was all foggy and freezing, so I took out my scarf and swung it cluelessly in the air, expecting it would help me with this opaque fog.

Anddddd..... It did!!

Just as the sight became a little more visible and clearer I realised that I was in front of a g-graveyard!??

I was about to run away when I saw a female figure standing inside.

"No n-no it can't be possible!"

"Yes, it is possible, my cupcake."

That figure said softly, smiling with moist eyes.

Tears started forming in my eyes immediately blurring my sight a little. My lips were trembling, legs shaking, my mind filled with every possible thought.

"A-are you r-real?" I asked, stuttering, wanting to hear a 'yes' so desperately from that side.

"Come on, hug your mama already" she said, showing her Crescent eye smile.

At this point I didn't even care if I was in the graveyard, I just wanted to feel my mother's touch for which I longed for about 15 years.

I immediately ran to her, ready to feel her stiff body against mine but...

Instead of bumping on her, I passed through her which caused extreme unbearable pain in my whole body for a second. I fell on my knees scraping them a little.

Before I could blow on my wound for relief, it vanished away. Without even leaving a scar behind. I was stunned. Stunned af.

"Why am I hallucinating this much today? "

" You're not hallucinating, baby."

She said bending to my level.

" Did I say it aloud?"

" Nope, you didn't, I can hear you."

" I'm dreaming right?" I said not believing whatever the fvck was happening with me.

" No." She placed a peck on my forehead. The touch was cold, freezing cold but somehow her motherly affection was warm enough to reach me.

That was it, this time I broke down, tears leaving my eyes like a race, my eyes all bloodshot red and puffy, the sound of crying was lowered because of the shortening of my breath, that's when I spoke-

"M-mumma" my mother's spirit hugged me while sitting beside me. It felt all freezing cold. Heaven knows how much comfort I felt just because of my late mother's hug.

========================

Flashback

8 year old Athena's pov.

I was relaxing on my couch watching my favourite cartoon while munching on my chips, mum wasn't at home so I could freely do anything I want to without worrying about my mum's merciless scolding.

"I had enough fun for today, why isn't she back yet. I'm missing her now."

After 1/2 hour

*Tringg tringgg*

I ran to pick up the call. Hoping it was mum.

On the phone.

A: Mummaaa!! Where are you?

??: Is this Mrs Bethany's house?

A: Yes she's my mum, but who are you?

??: Is your father at home dear?

A: No, my father doesn't live with us and my parents are divorced.

??: Oh, are there any adults with you now?

A: No, what's the matter and who are you? Why are you asking so many questions?

??: Darling, your mother is in hospital, she suffered a severe accident and couldn't make it.

A: What do you mean? I didn't understand. Why is she in the hospital? Is she sick?

??: Can you visit ××× hospital with anyone in your neighborhood maybe? It's urgent.

A: Okay. Bye

??: Bye. Take care sweetie. I'm sorry for your loss.

A: Loss? Huh?

The person hung up the call.

I immediately knocked on the flat beside ours, there lived an old retired couple. I told them the whole conversation I had with the stranger on the call. They immediately drove me to the hospital.

Timeskip....

I was sitting in the graveyard all alone. The cold breeze was hitting my weak and small body mercilessly. The darkness gulped all the things around me. Only things I could see were some dark dried trees, fog as if I was surrounded by clouds and my mother's grave, where she was buried a few hours ago.

The old couple took me back to my home after the funeral but I sneaked out as I wasn't able to sleep all alone.

I can't sleep without my mother beside me, I have a habit of sleeping on my mother's arm. She used to stroke my hair and sing a lullaby for me so that I could fall asleep.

It wasn't like I don't fear ghosts, darkness and all but my mum was the only one who would comfort me on the times when I was afraid, and the fact that she wasn't going to come home with me terrifies me the most.

I laid my head on the hard concrete engraved with my mother's name in bold, moistening it with my warm tears.

Why did you leave me mum? You know na I can't live without you. Who will tie my hair before going to school. I don't even know how to tie a simple bun. How will I cook food? The last time I tried to cook some instant noodles, I burnt my hand and you were so worried about me.

How will I complete my homework without your help?

I take my words back, your scoldings are not merciless, I don't enjoy when you aren't at home, I don't want this much of freedom please, I won't eat chips before my meal, I won't eat two chocolates at a time, I'll brush my teeth properly, I will listen to you without back answering and arguing, I'll complete my whole glass of milk without draining it in the sink like last time.

I promise mumma. I promiseeee.

Now please come back, I'll be a good- no very good girl. Please come back.

I was sobbing very hard, My cheeks were red and puffy along with my eyes. I didn't realise when I fell asleep.

Little did I know, someone was watching over me the whole time.

I woke up on a soft arm under my head, a hand resting in my hairs. One of my hands was under her neck and the other was on her waist. We were under my blanket on my bed. She wasn't my mum- wait SHE ISN'T MY MUM!!

I immediately pulled myself away from her and sat on the bed.

"W-who are you?" I said, trying to hold back my tears.

"Baby, you're awake?" The pretty lady said getting up.

"I said who are you? Why are you in my house, why did you bought me back from my mother"

" I'm your aunt, your mother was my best friend before you were born sweetheart. I came to know that she left us and you have no one to take care of you. So from now onwards I'll look after you and live with you, I know it will take some time for you to get comfortable with me but no worries, I'll wait hmm?"

" Are you really my aunt? "

" Yes darling, now come here."

She said, spreading her arms, indicating to me to hug her.

I immediately sat on her lap and hugged her with my tiny hands wrapped around her neck.

I didn't want to believe her, she had no proof that she was related to me but something was telling me to believe her, believe her blindly and so I did.

•••••••••••••••